Item: Used Mercedes GLE Coupe 2015-2019
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

To be honest, there’s still only one rival to the GLE Coupé and that’s the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/estate/used-review/n903">BMW X6</a>. Its infotainment system is much more modern-feeling, it’s more practical and it handles better than the rather ponderous GLE Coupé.

If you want your sporty SUV kicks but in a package with less challenging styling, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-velar/estate/used-review/n17576">Range Rover Velar</a> makes a fine alternative. It’s still quite new, so prices start slightly higher than they do for a GLE Coupé. However, the boot is bigger and you’ll be able to go much further off road in it, should you need to.

<h3><a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here</a></h3>

<h3>If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used GLE Coupe,</a> or any of the other SUVs mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.</h3>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

The GLE Coupé is based on the GLE, which in turn is based on the ML that came out in 2012. As such, it is based on tried-and-tested mechanicals and we haven’t come across any major issues so far. However, there was a voluntary recall to improve exhaust emissions of most Euro 5 and 6 diesels.

A small batch of GLE Coupés built between 09 Feburary 2015 and 14 October 2015 were recalled for incorrectly routed windscreen wiper cabling that may chafe and cause a short circuit, meaning the wipers will stop working. Affected vehicles should have had the wiring replaced and re-routed, but check this with your Mercedes dealer if you are unsure.

The GLE Coupé didn’t feature in our latest What Car? reliability survey, but the GLE did, and it finished a terrific third in the luxury SUV class.

Reliability rating&nbsp;92.8%&nbsp;

Only 18% of GLEs went wrong, with engine electrics and the steering the only areas affected. Two-thirds of those cars could still be driven, but all took between a day and a week to fix. While two-thirds were repaired under warranty, some owners had to pay £1000 to £1500.

But <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes</a> as a brand only managed 23rd place out of 31&nbsp;manufacturers – this isn't a brilliant result.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">What Car? reliability survey</a> pages for more information.

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Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

GLE COUPE

It's not very practical, but strong engines, a comfortable ride and a good reliability record mark the GLE Coupe out

Used Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe 2015-present

This is an expensive SUV, so don’t expect running cost to be low.

That said, fuel economy is similar to that of its closest rival, the BMW X6, which is only marginally better. The 350d is the only sensible option in the range, with a combined figure of 39.2mpg according to the old NEDC tests nd costing £250 in road tax. The GLE 43 gets 31.7mpg and costs £315 in road tax, while the top-of-the-range GLE 63 gets just 23.7mpg and road tax costs £555.

All GLE Coupés registered after 1 April 2017 will incur the £325&nbsp;surcharge applied to vehicles that cost more than £40,000 when new. This, on top of the standard £150 flat rate, means that you'll have to pay £475&nbsp;per year to tax the vehicle until it reaches six years of age. So, in most cases, if you want to save money, buy a GLE Coupé registered before this date. Unless you're after the GLE 63, because your tax bill will actually drop from £555.

Mercedes' main dealer servicing is expensive and doesn’t offer the sort of fix-priced deals that most rivals do when the car is over three years old. We’d suggest you look for a knowledgeable independent Mercedes specialist; they’ll be able to do the same work, using the same tools and diagnostic equipment, for a fraction of the cost a main dealer would charge.

Insurance will be expensive, too, but this is true of most premium luxury&nbsp;SUVs.

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Used Mercedes GLE Coupe 2015-2019

It's not very practical, but strong engines, a comfortable ride and a good reliability record mark the GLE Coupe out

Considering the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes</a> GLE Coupé was a £60,000 SUV when new, it makes used prices of around £30,000 for a 2016 350d AMG Line seem palatable. It’s certainly more affordable than a GLE 43 or GLE 63, which hover around the £50,000 to £65,000 price point. Spend between £35,000 and £45,000 on 2017 and 2018 cars, and around £50,000 to £70,000 on the last 2019 models.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">Check the value of a used Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé with What Car? Valuations</a>

Really, there’s only one logical engine option to go for and it’s the 3.0-litre diesel in the 350d. It’s quiet enough, even under full acceleration, and you shouldn’t want for any more power. Fuel consumption is acceptable for a large SUV, whereas you’ll need shares in an oil company if you want to run either of the full-fat AMG versions.

AMG Line includes air suspension, climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, LED headlights, a powered tailgate, sat-nav, Bluetooth, a DAB radio, heated leather seats and keyless entry. With a comprehensive kit list like that, there’s little reason to go for a higher-spec GLE Coupé unless you want the self-parking system, soft close doors and cooled seats of Designo Line.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> GLE Coupé 350d AMG Line

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Logical and beautifully built interior, with great infotainment</li> <li>More than enough space for five passengers or, even better, seven</li> <li>Strong performance along with impressive efficiency</li> <li>Composed handling that limits any feeling of unwieldiness</li></ul>

We class a luxury SUV as being anything where our pick of the range costs more than £45,000 – and at this price point, buyers' expectations are high. So, as well as all of the qualities that make regular SUVs such well-rounded choices –&nbsp;such as decent space for passengers and luggage, a classy interior and robust materials – we also want a cosseting ride, the latest driver assistance technology and enough space to really stretch out.

The Land Rover Discovery proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a luxurious SUV, but if you've got a bit more to spend, the Audi Q7 is perennially popular among buyers, and with good reason. Or, at the very top of this market, there are newer additions such as the BMW X7 to consider.

Luxury SUV

As unlikely as it sounds, have a look underneath the GLE Coupé for any signs of off-road damage. This is an SUV with four-wheel drive, after all.

Much more pressing will be signs of parking damage to bumpers or bodywork, since rear visibility is poor – although parking sensors and a rear reversing camera are standard. The tyres do have sizeable sidewalls on them, but check for curb damage all the same. And while you’re there, look at the condition of the tyres. The GLE Coupé can be quite hard on its tyres due to its weight, so make sure the tyres have plenty of tread left.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/estate/used-review/n903">BMW X6</a> has a lot to answer for. This&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/luxury-suv">large and luxurious SUV</a> with coupé-inspired styling was a bit of an oddball choice that&nbsp;wasn't expected to sell that well. But sell well the X6 did, creating a whole new niche overnight. It was so successful that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes&nbsp;</a>got in on the act, essentially taking a smoothing iron to the boxy <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle/estate/used-review/n989">GLE</a> to create the more sporty silhouette of the GLE Coupé.

Because the GLE Coupé is supposed to be the sporty model in the GLE range, the smallest engine it gets is a meaty 258bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel in the 350d. It has bags of low-down torque and it’s fast enough for most people’s needs. If it’s not, there is always the AMG models (not to be confused with AMG Line, which is the standard-specification GLE), because you can have a 367bhp (390bhp from late 2017 onwards) 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol in the GLE 43 or the bonkers 585bhp 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 in the GLE 63.

To drive, the standard air suspension in the 350d is comfortable for most situations, even with bigger wheels. It can still be caught out by bigger bumps and potholes that cause the body to wobble slightly, but this is the case with most air suspension systems. The 350d leans a bit in corners, though, and doesn’t feel as agile as the X6.

The GLE 43 and GLE 63 models come with AMG-tuned air suspension to sharpen the handling, but this means the ride is firmer and tends to fidget a lot on rougher surfaces. Despite all the changes AMG has made, no version can match the sharper-feeling X6 M. However, the 4.0-litre V8 in the GLE 63 does sound much more purposeful.

The major downside with the GLE Coupé is that practicality is noticeably reduced over the standard GLE. The sloping roofline means that boot space suffers greatly not only in terms of overall volume but also in the usefulness of its shape. The narrow opening and intrusive rear wheel arches hamper space quite a lot and the high-set bumper makes loading heavy or awkwardly shaped items difficult. Plus, the rear seats don’t fold or split in any particularly innovative manner (you can get 40/20/40-split rear seats in the X6) and they’re awkward to move.

Head and leg room up front is excellent and there’s plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel for the driver to get comfortable. Lumbar support, thankfully, is standard. Despite the steeply curved roofline, there’s still plenty of head room for even tall passengers in the rear and they get more than enough leg room to stretch out. The floor is mostly flat, too, meaning you don’t have to straddle an enormous central tunnel.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used GLE Coupe,</a> or any of the other SUVs mentioned here, head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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Used Mercedes GLE Coupe 2015-2019 review

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Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Mercedes GLE Coupe 4x4?